GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Foleshill, 16 September 1847
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Foleshill, 16 September 1847
Title
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Foleshill, 16 September 1847
Sender
George Eliot
Recipient
Sara Sophia Hennell
Date(s)
- 1847-09-16
Place
FOLESHILL
Letter Content
GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Foleshill, 16 September 1847
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Cross, I, 164-165.
Foleshill | September 16th 1847.
My dear Sara,
I cannot forgive you for not asking me for the two shillings which I owe you. 670 You ought either to have felt sure that it was only an infirmity of memory which kept me in debt, or to have told me that I was too good-for-nothing to be your friend. I have given the two shillings to Mr. Bray and I beg that for my sake you will demand them from him when he goes to London. The fact was that I had asked him to pay you the carriage in the first instance when I sent Spinoza to you, and so I the more easily lost sight of the matter. But pray have the generosity another time to save me from the pain of finding that I have neglected to pay even my money debts, when there are so many others which I am unable to defray. Now I have scolded you I can talk of other things.
I have read the Inquiry 671 again with more than interest -- with delight and high admiration. My present impression from it far surpasses the one I had retained from my two readings about 5 years ago. With the exception of a few expressions which seem too little discriminating in the Introductory sketch there is nothing in its whole tone from beginning to end that jars on my moral sense, and apart from any opinion of the book as an explanation of the existence of Christianity and the Christian documents I am sure that no one fit to read it at all could read it without being intellectually and morally stronger -- the reasoning is so close, the induction so clever, the style so clear vigorous and pointed, and the animus so candid and even generous. Mr. Hennell ought to be one of the happiest of men that he has done such a life's-work. I am sure if I had written such a book I should be invulnerable to all the arrows of all spiteful gods and goddesses. I should say, "None of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto myself" seeing that I have delivered such a message of God to men.
The book is full of wit to me, it gives me the exquisite kind of laughter which comes from the gratification of the reasoning faculties. For instance -- "If some of those who were actually at the mountain doubted whether they saw Jesus or not, we may reasonably doubt whether he was to be seen at all there: especially as the words attributed to him do not seem at all likely to have been said, from the disciples paying no attention to them." p. 242. "The disciples considered her (Mary Mag[dale]ne's) words idle tales, and believed them not. We have thus their example for considering her testimony alone as insufficient, and for seeking further evidence." p. 238. "The distance from Gaza to Azotus is about 30 miles, . . . so that the chief object of this miracle appears to have been to increase the faith of the eunuch, or of the readers of the Acts." Note p. 300.
Just read the paragraph p. 440 beginning "Upon the whole," and ending "not to a philosopher" and the paragraph p. 449 beginning "Upon the whole" and ending "benign and philosophic enthusiast." These two passages present nearly my conception of Jesus as distinguished from the one you seem inclined to form. To say "Jewish philosopher" seems almost like saying a round square, yet those two words appear to me the truest description of Jesus.
I think the Inquiry furnishes the utmost that can be done towards obtaining a real view of the life and character of Jesus by rejecting as little as possible from the Gospels. I confess that I should call many things "shining ether" to which Mr. Hennell allows "the solid angularity of facts," 672 but I think he has thoroughly worked out the problem. Substract from the N[ew] T[estament] the miraculous and highly improbable and what will be the remainder?
Father and I are going to the coast next week, 673 but I do not yet know whether to Brighton or some where else. If you write to me, which you need only do if you feel that way inclined, send the note to Cara, and she will forward it to me.
Thine ever affectionate Husband.
MS: Yale. Extracts published: Cross, I, 164-165.
Foleshill | September 16th 1847.
My dear Sara,
I cannot forgive you for not asking me for the two shillings which I owe you. 670 You ought either to have felt sure that it was only an infirmity of memory which kept me in debt, or to have told me that I was too good-for-nothing to be your friend. I have given the two shillings to Mr. Bray and I beg that for my sake you will demand them from him when he goes to London. The fact was that I had asked him to pay you the carriage in the first instance when I sent Spinoza to you, and so I the more easily lost sight of the matter. But pray have the generosity another time to save me from the pain of finding that I have neglected to pay even my money debts, when there are so many others which I am unable to defray. Now I have scolded you I can talk of other things.
I have read the Inquiry 671 again with more than interest -- with delight and high admiration. My present impression from it far surpasses the one I had retained from my two readings about 5 years ago. With the exception of a few expressions which seem too little discriminating in the Introductory sketch there is nothing in its whole tone from beginning to end that jars on my moral sense, and apart from any opinion of the book as an explanation of the existence of Christianity and the Christian documents I am sure that no one fit to read it at all could read it without being intellectually and morally stronger -- the reasoning is so close, the induction so clever, the style so clear vigorous and pointed, and the animus so candid and even generous. Mr. Hennell ought to be one of the happiest of men that he has done such a life's-work. I am sure if I had written such a book I should be invulnerable to all the arrows of all spiteful gods and goddesses. I should say, "None of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto myself" seeing that I have delivered such a message of God to men.
The book is full of wit to me, it gives me the exquisite kind of laughter which comes from the gratification of the reasoning faculties. For instance -- "If some of those who were actually at the mountain doubted whether they saw Jesus or not, we may reasonably doubt whether he was to be seen at all there: especially as the words attributed to him do not seem at all likely to have been said, from the disciples paying no attention to them." p. 242. "The disciples considered her (Mary Mag[dale]ne's) words idle tales, and believed them not. We have thus their example for considering her testimony alone as insufficient, and for seeking further evidence." p. 238. "The distance from Gaza to Azotus is about 30 miles, . . . so that the chief object of this miracle appears to have been to increase the faith of the eunuch, or of the readers of the Acts." Note p. 300.
Just read the paragraph p. 440 beginning "Upon the whole," and ending "not to a philosopher" and the paragraph p. 449 beginning "Upon the whole" and ending "benign and philosophic enthusiast." These two passages present nearly my conception of Jesus as distinguished from the one you seem inclined to form. To say "Jewish philosopher" seems almost like saying a round square, yet those two words appear to me the truest description of Jesus.
I think the Inquiry furnishes the utmost that can be done towards obtaining a real view of the life and character of Jesus by rejecting as little as possible from the Gospels. I confess that I should call many things "shining ether" to which Mr. Hennell allows "the solid angularity of facts," 672 but I think he has thoroughly worked out the problem. Substract from the N[ew] T[estament] the miraculous and highly improbable and what will be the remainder?
Father and I are going to the coast next week, 673 but I do not yet know whether to Brighton or some where else. If you write to me, which you need only do if you feel that way inclined, send the note to Cara, and she will forward it to me.
Thine ever affectionate Husband.
Citation
George Eliot, GE to Sara Sophia Hennell, Foleshill, 16 September 1847, Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/93916